Granthi who reported sacrilege in Khamano arrested for crime
FATEHGARH SAHIB: The police arrested a ‘granthi’ for the desecration of a ‘pothi’ (copy of Sikh holy book) of Japji Sahib in Badesha Kalan village near Khamano on Monday evening, a few hours after the incident.
He was remanded in police custody till September 3 by a local court on Tuesday.
Accused Jasvir Singh had been serving as a ‘granthi’ in a nearby Manella village for the past many years, said inspector general (IG), Patiala range, Paramraj Singh Umranangal at a press conference here.
Jasvir is the same person who had first reported the incident. He informed former sarpanch of village Surinder Singh around 4pm on Monday that he had seen four pages (1-8) of the holy book scattered in bushes behind elementary school of village on the banks of a Rajbaha. Surinder had then informed police about it.
The IG said Jasvir was arrested within five hours of the incident. “We formed two teams immediately and started the investigation. The accused has admitted to the crime in the preliminary investigation,” said the IG.
The IG said Jasvir wanted to establish a good image of himself and secure a job for his son in the gurdwara and get some financial help.
Jasvir originally belongs to the Khanna area and was earlier convicted for his mother’s murder, after which he had spent many years in the Ludhiana jail.
He was arrested under sections 295A (intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion) and 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal code (IPC).
Meanwhile, the IG appealed people to be aware of such antisocial people and asked village panchayats to keep a check and guard religious places.